Is it starting to feel like your car or truck’s out of alignment? (Signs include uneven tire wear, vibration, and a vehicle that pulls or drifts to one side while you’re driving on a straight-away.) Don’t wonder any longer! Print and redeem the coupon above for a FREE alignment check any of our four Butler Service Center locations. If your vehicle’s fine, you’ll be on your way with no cost. If an alignment is needed, and you decide to let us do the work, you’ll be entitled to $20.00 off the regular price. It’s a win-win! Call us to set up an appointment or just drop by. We’ll be ready for you!
Tag / suzuki
What’s Covered Under a “Bumper to Bumper” Warranty?
Butler Sales Manager Joel Nickerson has the answer.
Road Trip: The Agony and the Ecstasy
‘Tis the season for that most American of summertime activities: the end-of-the-season, last-fling-before-school-starts road trip! (Why we love them so much: http://tinyurl.com/4xkgblm) Who among us doesn’t have a story about the perils of hitting the road with the people we profess to love the most – whether relatives or friends? My memories are of the 13-year old me narrowly avoiding being left on the side of the road. It sounds harsh but the reality is that after nearly 2000 miles of reading every card in the Trivial Pursuit Game (the Genus
Edition… in case you were wondering) *out loud* on a family drive to South Dakota, I’m lucky to have been allowed in the car for the return trip home. Or, on that same route a few years later, the certainty with which I knew we were all going to die when our car overheated and stalled in the Nevada desert. It was hours before we could flag down another driver for help. Heck, it was hours before another driver even happened by. The midafternoon sun was brutal as vultures circled menacingly overhead. At least that’s how I remember it.
In the end, though, my family bonded over the long hours cooped up in a small space together. We learned to rely on each other, we learned tolerance… we even learned how to create our own fun, imminent disaster or no.
We’d love to hear *your* stories… about the automotive meltdowns, accidental side trips, and the characters you almost certainly met along the way. In the meantime, here’s a
link to a collection of road trip comics to keep you entertained: http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/r/road_trip.asp. Happy travels!
Hyundai at the Oscars
If you watched the 2011 Academy Awards Presentation you know Hollywood’s royalty shared the spotlight with another star: Hyundai! Now in its third year as the Oscar’s Exclusive Automotive Sponsor, Hyundai garnered nine commercial spots prior to and during the extravaganza. In keeping with Academy rules, the automaker also brought in the “guest voice” of Jason Bateman to allow regular spokesman Jeff Daniels to participate in the festivities surrounding his second consecutive Oscar nomination. Obviously, none of the awards were vehicle related but if they had been, all it takes is one look at the looooong and ever-growing list of Hyundai Accolades (check it out here: https://butlerhyundai.wordpress.com/accolades-2/) to know who would have driven off with the statue!
Hyundai’s Mission – 35 MPG by 2015, 50 MPG’s By 2025
As part of Hyundai’s mission to offer the most efficient line of U.S. vehicles, the South Korean automaker publicly stated in 2010 that it intends its entire fleet to average 50 mpg by 2025. So how’s progress? You don’t have to go far to find out. John Krafcik, Hyundai’s U.S. Chief says the company figured fuel economy is discussed internally; Why not discuss it externally?
So, fuel economy gains will now be prominently featured in monthly sales reports. It helps that the numbers are good. In January 2011, Hyundai models averaged 34.7 mpg, tantalizingly close to the company’s 2015 goal of 35 mpg, and beyond the federal requirement of 34.1 by 2016. Ah, it’s good to be an overachiever.
For more information visit: http://tinyurl.com/4u68ffa
Are There Too Many Options?
America was founded on the premise that her citizens should have options, and not only options but, the freedom to choose among them. The founding fathers were primarily concerned with religion and politics but, the idea pretty much sums up the free market system, as well.
Which is exactly the problem. Sometimes there’s just too much to choose from.
While grocery shopping the other day I spent 20 minutes in the toothpaste aisle. It’s not that there are too many brands to choose from, it’s that each brand has an entire array of products.
There’s toothpaste to whiten, freshen, and protect; to ward off sensitivity, plaque and gingivitis; to battle germs, prevent bacteria and strengthen enamel. There’s regular, there’s gel, there’s some swirly combination of both. And then there are the flavors: Cinnamon, mint, citrus breeze, root beer, licorice, and, for those rare diehard carnivores, pork. There’s even one the brains at MIT allege can forecast the weather (I kid you not: http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/mit-media-labs-build-weather-forecasting-toothpaste%E2%80%94with-flavors-5-1-2010/). Is it any wonder my brain short circuits if I even consider moving past “Regular Tooth Paste”? But the real question is, why do I find it so annoying to wade through the broad selection of toothpaste but on the other spectrum, excessively liberating to have just as many, if not more, choices when buying a car?
The view from my office in the Butler Acura showroom includes any number of Fords, Acuras, Hyundais and Kias, one super clean Mini-Cooper, a Dodge Ram and a handful of Ford F-150s (to see what I see visit: www.butlerman.com.) They are new and previously loved, sedans and hatchbacks, trucks, crossovers and SUVs. They represent a host of options, colors, and possibilities. I love having the ability to see each and every one of them and, unless they’ve been sold by the time I get around to them, I plan to test drive them all. I’m looking forward to it.
So far, my “research” has put me behind the wheel of an Acura MDX, Acura RDX, Ford F-150 King Ranch, and a sweet 2011 Ford Mustang. This weekend, I drove one of Butler’s new powerful 2011 F-150 Lariats, you know, just to get a feel for the latest class of Ford trucks. In seeing my temporary ride, and knowing me the way she does, my mom smiled and nodded. “You have a good job,” she said.
So, I guess it comes down to passion. Obviously, someone (at Crest, Colgate and, apparently, MIT) is in love with toothpaste. For that person, the more toothpaste options, the better… even if he’s still driving the same car he’s had since high school. I, on the other hand will revel in every new car and truck that rolls onto our lot, while continuing to stick to Regular Crest. In doing so, both us are confirming our right to choose, upholding our freedom of choice. Being American.
Best, Worst, and Weirdest Car Names Ever
The infamous Chevy Nova
Remember the story about Chevy and the Nova? The auto maker’s efforts to market the car in Latin America failed spectacularly . Turns out “no va” in Spanish means “it doesn’t go”, and nobody wants a car that doesn’t go!
The story is usually cited to illustrate the difficulties in translation when it comes to naming vehicles. But I’m not concerned with what American model names may mean in other languages so much as in what they mean – or don’t mean – in America.
Here’s a pretty comprehensive list of the best, worst and weirdest car names: http://www.forbes.com/2004/07/12/cx_dl_0712feat.html. But there must be others out there… can you think of any?
Why People Are Talking About Hyundai!!
http://www.butlerman.com Hyundai’s receiving so many accolades, we can’t keep them straight!
Why “LIKE” Us?
“Something that haunts most social media panels is a failure to explain the relevance of social media. Why should the average person get involved, or read?”
—http://www.brandstorming.com
Maybe that’s an odd way to kick off the inaugural blog of The Butler Automotive Group. But, seriously, why should you read anything we have to say? Butler’s a group of car dealerships. You already know dealerships sell cars. You visit their websites when you need one, or maybe when you want one. Otherwise, you don’t visit their websites.
But at Butler Hyundai… or more accurately, I, Shannon Young, former longtime local TV news anchor-turned-Butler spokeswoman… disagree, and I’ll tell you why.
First, the sites I visit on a regular basis include those for NPR, People Magazine, CNN, anything related to kayaking, and, of course, Facebook. I’m drawn to websites that enhance my life, whether with information, a break from reality, pretty pictures that remind me of my time on the water, or interaction with people who share similar interests, similar friends, similar anything.
Second, I love cars. I mean, I LOVE cars. I can work one of those dealership options kiosks like some kids play Halo. I love the variety of styles, the niche markets, the sheer multitude of possibilities. I love how each manufacturer has its followers, how we can outfit our cars to match our personality, how some people are so nuts for their ride they name it, like it’s part of the family.
So… I visit sites that enhance my life… and cars enhance my life.
I know I’m not alone. I know there’s a truckload of as-yet-outed auto junkies out there. I also know a good portion of you engage in some sort of ritual every day, whether it’s stopping by a coffee shop, a bagel store, or a website, not just to caffeinate, indulge in baked goods, or see who’s “liked” the latest Harry Potter flick but, to see who’s there, to talk about the weather, to connect… with someone, somewhere who shares something in common.
Guess what. Your vehicle connects you, literally in that it gets you places but, also figuratively. You have something in common with every other human being who’s ever owned a car. Yeah. Whoa.
So what better place to start building a relationship than right here?
Butler and I, we’re not just writing a blog, we’re starting a conversation. And with you in the mix, we might just enhance each other’s life.
Guess that brings us to the beginning: Hi, I’m Shannon. You already know what lights my fire. Now, tell us what lights yours…
Butler Hyundai's Blog 
